Reversible-ball coupling.



- Patented Ian. 23, 1900.- C. N. HUNTER.

REVERSIBLE BALL COUPLING.

(Application filed Apr. 25, 1899.)

(No Model.)

A TTOHNE Y.

NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES N. HUNTER, OF VERSAILLES, INDIANA/ REVERSIBLE-BALL COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,700, dated January 23, 1900.

Application filed April 25, 1899. Serial No. 714,468. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES N. HUNTER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Versailles, county of Ripley, State of Indiana, have invented an Improvement in Reversible Ball Couplings and Take Up Rods, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to construct a reversible-ball coupling and take-up rod in such a way that it will stand a great deal of service without developing any appreciable amount of lost motion.

My invention consists of a ball adapted to be mounted upon the shaft, said ball being reversible two or more ways, and a suitable socket in which said ball operates.

My invention consists, further, of an adjustable socket or a socket provided with a take-up rod, as required, to reduce the longitudinal diameter of the socket as required to remove the lost motion caused by the wearing of the ball and the Wearing of the socket.

Figure I is a side elevation of a reversibleball coupling and take-up rod constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention and designed for use in connecting a pitman -rod to a sickle-bar in mowers, harvesters, and the like. Fig. II is a side elevation of a reversible-ball coupling and takeup rod constructed for use as a thill-coupling, the take-up rod being omitted. Fig. III is a top plan View of the parts shown in Fig. II. Fig. IV is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in Fig. II. Fig. V shows one form of ball, said ball being reversible four ways. Fig. VI shows a modified form of ball, reversible two ways. Fig. VII shows a modified form of ball different from Fig. VI and reversible two ways. Fig. VIII shows a fourth modification of the ball.

Referring to the drawings in detail,a sicklebar 1 has posts 2 and 3 extending upwardly near the pitman-rod under and a short distance apart. The bearing-block 4 is mounted between said posts 2 and 3, and has a concavity in its upper face which forms the lower half of the socket, and the bearing-block 5 forms the upper half of the socket. The ball 6 is placed in the socket, and the pitman-rod 7 extends outwardly from the ball, the post 3 and the upper part 5 of the socket being slotted to allow the pitman-rod to play up and down. A lug 8 extends from the upper end of the post 3 and forms a hook. The plate 9 has a hook 10 to engage the lug 8, and said plate normally rests upon the bearing-block 5. The lug 11 extends from the upper end of the post 2, and a bolt 12 extends upwardly through said lug 11 and through the plate 9 to hold the plate 9 in position. The pitmanrod end of the plate 9 is slotted to allow the pitman-rod to play up and down. The oilbox 13 is attached to the plate 9, and an open= ing leads from the oil-box through the plate 9 and through the bearing-block 5 to the socket. The dust-guard 1.4 is secured to the plate 9 under the oil-box, and the free end of said dust-guard rests upon the pitman-rod, said dust-guard covering the slots in which the pitman-rod operates through the post 3. The inner end of the take-up rod 15 is screwthreaded into the block 16, which operates through the bearing-blocks and engages the ball 6. The block 16 forms a part of the socket. The post 17 extends upwardly from the plate 18, said plate 18 having a slot 19, through which the bolt 20 passes to secure the plate adjustably to the sickle-bar. The outer end of the take-up rod 15 engages the post 17, and said outer end is square or hexagon to receive the wrench for operating the take-up rod and press the block 16 against the ball 6, as required to eliminate the lost motion caused by the wearing of the ball and the wearing of the socket. I 4

In the modifications shown in Figs. II, III, and IV the bearing-block 4 is attached to the bar 21 and said bar 21 is placed under the axle of the buggy or wagon to be engaged by the clips which encircle the axle. The bar 21 may be attached to the block 4, or it may be formed integral with the block 4. The bearing-block 5 has flanges 22 extend ing downwardly upon opposite sides of the bearing-block 4, anda pin 23 is inserted through said flanges and through the bearing-block .4, The post 24 extends upwardly from the plate 21, and an arm 25 extends backwardly from the bearing-block 5 into an opening in said post 24, as required to hold the rear ends of the blocks 4 and 5' together. Springs 26 connect the bar 21 to the rear end of the block 5, the tension of said springs being exerted to open the socket when the pin 23 is removed. A wire 27 is attached to the bar 21 and extends forwardly and then downwardly through the end of the pin 23, as required to form a key to hold said pin in position. A spring 28 is attached to the bottom of the bearing-block 4 and extends upwardly into said bearing-block and engages the pin 23, the tension of the spring being exerted to keep the pin from rattling.

The ball shown in Fig. V is bored twice, one bore being crosswise of the other, and said bores are screw-threaded, and the end of the pitman-rod or other shaft is screwed into the ball. The ball is reversible four ways. i

In Fig VI the ball consists of the central portion 6, of metal, and the end portions 6 and 6, of rubber. This ball is reversible two ways. The ball is placed tightly in the socket and the pressure of rubber keeps it from rattling.

In Fig. VII the ball consists of the rubber portion 6, the metal sleeve 6 screw-threaded upon the shaft, and the metal flange Gflformed integral with the sleeve and serving to complete the sphere and hold the rubber portion in position.

In Fig. VIII the ball consists of the central portion 6 screw-threaded upon the shaft, the flanges 6, extending both ways from said central portion, and the rubber end pieces 6, fitting against the sides of the central portion (3 upon the flanges 6 and serving to complete the sphere. This ball is reversible two ways.

upon said pitinan-rod, and a suitable framework forming a socket in which said ball operates, substantially as specified.

2. In a device of the class described, a ball bored and screw-threaded, a pitman-rod having its end screw-threaded to receive said ball, said ball being reversible upon said pitman-rod relative to the ends of said screwthrcaded bore, the bearing-block 4 having a concavityin its upper face, the bearing-block 5 in opposition to said bearing-block 4 and forming a socket to receive said ball, means of securing said bearing-blocks in position relative to each other, and the dust-guard ll secured in position to have its free end engage said pitman-rod and covering the slot in which said pitman-rod operates, substantially as specified.

3. In a device of the class described, a ball bored in one or more directions and screwthreaded, a pitman-rod having its end screwthreaded to receive said ball, said ball being reversible relative to the ends of its bores upon said pitman-rod, means of forming an adjustable socket in which said ball operates; said means consisting of a lower portion having a concavity in its upper face, an upper portion having a concavity in its lower face, means of securing said upper and lower portions together in opposition to each other, a third portion mounted between said first and second portions to slide to and from the ball and having its inner end concave, and a takeup rod connected to said third portion as required to adj ust said third portion to and from the ball, substantially as specified.

CHARLES N. HUNTER.

Vitnesses:

LEONARD E. SINGER, J AMES HANEY. 

